National Security: the Theory and Legislation of Russia

Abstract

Review. Effective national security depends on many factors. A theoretical and methodological basis developed by scholars is essential for the understanding of a national security phenomenon in a domestic science and its normative institutionalization. The role of legislation in the sphere of national security is associated with providing conditions for efficient functioning of a state in today's rapidly changing world. Currently, the Russian Federation commands a legal system ensuring national security. However, adoption of regulatory legal acts failed to solve the majority of theoretical and legal problems concerning regulation of issues of national security. Duplication (overlapping of powers), lack of consistency, inconsistency and pretentiousness are the faults most often named. Since the mid 90s of the 20th century an objective necessity appeared to develop a new paradigm of security for the Russian Federation in the light of a new understanding of its national interests and strategic priorities system. The formation of Russian national security paradigms and development of the concept and strategies have already passed four stages. In general, the security paradigm can be implemented as either the paradigm of protection or paradigm of self-affirmation. A "protective" context became the main characteristic of the first three stages of the paradigm of Russia's national security. The main provisions of the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation up to 2020 indicate changes in the paradigm of security and implementation of a self-assertion paradigm that is aimed at development. Among innovative ideas of the National Security Strategy we can see the inclusion in the definition of the national security definition, as well as in the "text" of the document itself, a conceptually important category of "sustainable development." Enacted in 2010 the Federal Law "On Security" undoubtedly became a major step forward as compared with the analogous law of 1992, but it has not secured a specific innovation strategy of national security and, furthermore, outlined challenges and gaps in the security legislation in the Russian Federation. First, it is differences in concepts, and often the lack of a unified conceptual framework in the field of providing national security. Therefore, in order to strengthen national security of the country the current legislation should be monitored on the basis of academic expertise and theoretical developments.